Assigm



{No Mbdel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1,

F G. FISCHER.

BASE BALL GLOVE.

No. 381,687. PatezitedApnZ i, 1888.

WITWESSES IAVEJVTO R Attorney N. FEYERS. Pmwum n her. Wahingtan. D4 C.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

P. G. FISCHER. BASEBALL GLOVE. No. 381,687. Patented Apr. 24, 1888.

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l 1 I l QM v N PEYERi Phowumo n hun Wauhingwn. u. C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3;

F. G. FISCHER.

BASE BALL GLOVE.

No. 381,687. Patented Apr. 24, 1888.

W1 'TJVESSES- 1.7V FEW TOR N. PETERS Fhvio-Lilhrrgnpl ar. Washinghn. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Urricn.

FREDERICK G. FISCHER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF'ONE- HALF TO JOHN G. HIGDON, OF SAME PLACE.

BASE-BALL GLOVE- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,687, dated April 24, 1888.

Application filed September 8,1887. Serial No. 249,097. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, FREDERICK. G. FIsoHnR, of Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gloves for Ball-Players, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a light base-ball glove that will protect the fingers of the players from being sprained or broken during the progress of agame, in practice, or wherever base-balls may be used.

My invention consists in the peculiar features and combination of parts, more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, which illustrate the manner of carrying out my invention, Figure l is a perspective view showing the metallic strips on my improved glove. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line xx, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is aplan view showing a modification of the fingerstrips hinged directly to a back plate. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 Fig. 3, looking toward the rubber ends or cushions. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a modification of fiuger-strip, which can be used with the ordinary glove. Fig.'6 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing improved form of glove proper and one way of securing the fingerstrips to said glove.

A. indicates a back plate, which can be made in any desired shape or size, to which the finger-strips are hinged by means of the metallic straps or plates D. E indicates such hinge. The back plate answers as a bearingsurface to the fingerstrips B when they are suddenly knocked back, and being broad it prevents the back of the hand from being hurt, as would be the case should the ends of the fingerstrips bear directly on the back of the hand.

In Fig. 3 the finger-strips are hinged directly to the back plate without using plates D, E indicating the hinge. In this view the back plate is shown in two parts, AA. A is provided with slots 6, through which pass pins f, which are secured to section A. This construction of the back plate does away with straps D, as it answers the same purpose.

The finger-strips are composed of any suitable material, preferably of sheet metal, and are made in three sections, b a 0, respectively,

the endsof which are suitably hinged together and may be made with overlapping ends 65, as shown in'Fig. 2. The rearsection is hinged to slotted plates D, which are attached to back plate A by means of beaded pin f and slot 6.

The use of slot 6 is to allow the finger-strips to be more readily worked, the plates D being adapted to slide on pins f. When the fingers are bent at the joint which connects them to the hand, as in grasping a ball, the distance from the tip of the finger to any point above said joint is greater than when the hand is in a straight position, and by use of slot e the joint E is allowed to move forward, thus making allowance for the increased distance from joint to joint when in abent position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The finger-tips or cushions C are composed of any suitable material, preferably of rubber, and are inserted in section a of finger-strips B,

the ends of which are crimped around the tips C; or they may be fastened in by means of a pin, or in any suitable manner.

In some instances I make use of tips composed of leather or other pliable material,

which are in the form of asort of cup or thimso ble, and which are to be located upon section 0 and attached thereto by sewing or in any desired way.

The detachable finger-strip shown in Fig.

5 is somewhat similar to those shown in other 8 views; but it is also provided with leather strip F, which encircles the fingers and has its bearing-surface under and between the fingers. The use of this leather strip is to prevent the tips O'from being forced against the ends of the fingers when struck in a horizontal position. This finger-strip is particularly designed to be used with the gloves now in use, to which it can be readily attached by means of button 10, or any suitable means. figure a leather strip, 8, provided with a button-hole, is shown attached to the rear end of section b, and button 10 engaging the buttonhole of the strip.

The construction of the glove shown in Fig. :00

7 is preferable to any other. It admits of the glove proper being worn beneath the finger- In this 9 5 strips and is provided with a loop, G,.on its top, through which the finger-strips are placed. By means of this loop the finger-strips are more securely fastened to the leather glove, making it impossible for them toget knocked out of their proper position. The adjacent ends of sections 1) a c are slightly turned up,in order to prevent any chance of the fingerjoints becoming pinched when the finger is quickly straightened. It will be observed in this construction that when the hand is opened and the fingers straightened to their greatest extent, as shown in Fig. 5, the adjacent ends of the contiguous plates will become locked against each other, and the plates at b 0 will form an alignment corresponding with the open fingers, and when the interlocking ends are thus locked the backward or outward rotation of the plates is arrested, as previously mentioned, thereby rendering the fingers inflexible and any abnormal backward strain Will ice-prevented.

In the practical application of my invention many small changes in the details of construction may be required and made, and because of this fact I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction that is shown in the drawings, for it is obvious that such changes in my device as might suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic could be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of myinvention, and I.

feel myself entitled to make such alterations as come within its scope.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is V 1. 'A base-ball glove provided with fingers having hinged sections upon the back, said sections being composed of hard material and having their ends arranged to lock one against the other to prevent abnormal back ward strain, in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. A baseball players protective device, consisting of hinged sections composed of hard material arranged to fit over the back of the hand, said sections having their ends arranged to lock one against the other, in combination with pliable holding-loops, substantially as described. v

3. A base-ball glove provided with hinged sections of hard material upon the back of the fingers, the ends of the sections locking one against the other and being bent upwardly to prevent pinching, substantially as described.

4. A ball-players glove having strips of hard,

material arranged upon the back of the fingers thereof,substantially as specified,and the outer ends of said strips provided with cushions, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A ball-players glove having a covering of hard material arranged upon the back of terial arranged in sections upon the back of the fingers of the glove and hinged together so as to allow the fingers to be closed inwardly and yet prevent them from being knocked backward, a plate of hard material to which the rear sections are loosely connected, and

tips of pliable or elastic material which are. carried by the end sections of the covering,

substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK G. FISCHER."

Witnesses:

S. S. MoREHoUsE, A. A. HIGDON. 

